FULL PROGRAM:
Bach: Cantata 1: Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (How beautifully the morning star shines)
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1
FEATURED SOLOISTS:
Kerry Holahan, Soprano*
Joseph Regan, Tenor
* The soprano soloist for this concert is endowed in the memory and honor of The Rev. Andrea R. Hagen-Arndt †. Learn more about our Permanent Endowment Fund HERE
We’re celebrating our return to live concerts with a pair of Bach firsts! Bach’s Cantata 1: Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (How beautifully the morning star shines) is built around a hymn composed by the Lutheran pastor Phillip Nicolai that compares Christ with the morning star. The bright and uplifting tune is followed by Bach’s exalted Brandenburg Concerto No. 1. Widely regarded as some of the best orchestral compositions of the Baroque era, the six Brandenburg Concertos stretch and expand the capabilities of the Baroque orchestral music. The Brandenburg Concertos showcase Bach at his very best–you won’t want to miss this reopening tribute!
Kerry Holahan, Soprano
Kerry Holahan, soprano, is a solo and ensemble singer acclaimed for her versatility and interpretation of Historically Informed music, especially of the Renaissance and Baroque eras. She has appeared as soloist with American Bach Soloists in San Francisco, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and recently debuted with Grammy-winning vocal ensemble Seraphic Fire at the Aspen Music Festival, as well as the 21st Century Consort and the Folger Consort in Washington, D.C. Kerry is a staff singer at St. John’s Church, Lafayette Square and regularly appears with the Washington National Cathedral Choir. Prior to coming to the DMV, Kerry lived in Beijing for eight years where she toured with Chinese and international music ensembles and coordinated cross-cultural initiatives with Chinese and US arts organizations. While in China, she appeared as soloist with world-renowned Early Music soprano Dame Emma Kirkby and Metropolitan Opera bass-baritone Shenyang. Kerry is fluent in Mandarin and is one of the few American sopranos to be actively singing Chinese traditional and contemporary works both in the United States and China. Kerry earned a BA in East Asian Studies from Wesleyan University; a Master of Music, Early Music Vocal Performance from the Peabody Conservatory; as well as a Vocal Performance Diploma, with Distinction, from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, UK.
Joseph Regan, tenor
Joseph Regan is thrilled to be returning to the Bach in Baltimore Concert Series this season. Mr. Regan is a highly sought after performer whose singing has taken him all over the Eastern Seaboard and parts of Europe. Recent highlights from the opera stage include a turn as Azaël from Debussy’s L’Enfant Prodigue for Lyric Opera of Baltimore, Don José in Opus Concert Theater’s production of Carmen, and Pinkerton from Madame Butterfly with Loudon Lyric Opera. Mr. Regan is frequently engaged as a tenor soloist. He is particularly well known for his singing of Bach and Handel with numerous performances of Handel’s Messiah as well as Bach’s Passions and Cantatas to his credit. Recent highlights include the regional premiere of the concert oratorio Barbara Allen with Shepherd University Masterworks and Gerald Finzi’s A Farewell to Arms with Live Arts Maryland. In addition to multiple turns as the tenor soloist for Bach’s St. John Passion, Mr. Regan recently made his debut as the Evangelist. Mr. Regan also deeply enjoys singing art song, in particular French Mélodies. This intimate and personal form allows him to more deeply explore the connection between text, music, emotional intent, and its impact on the listener.
He earned his BM and MM from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University and his DMA from University of Maryland, College Park.
Take a deep dive into J.S. Bach’s Cantata 1 with Maestro T. Herbert Dimmock. In this three part Musical Notes Series, the Maestro reveals Bach’s inventive symbolism and musical genius. Bach in Baltimore is committed to presenting virtual content to our current and future patrons because we believe in the healing power of music, especially the music of J.S. Bach. These videos were made during our Virtual 2020-2021 Season. See all of our Virtual Series content HERE.
PART ONE:
PART TWO:
PART THREE: